This invention was made with government support under Contract No. N66001-00-C-8049 awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)/Defense Sciences Office (DOS). The United States Government has certain rights in this invention.
1. Field of the Invention
Applicant""s invention relates to an ultraviolet target designator and methodology that utilizes ultraviolet radiation from a laser designator to remotely designate targets for various applications. In one embodiment, the ultraviolet laser designator is used to remotely designate a target for insects to fly to so as to collect environmental information. In another embodiment, the ultraviolet laser operates in the solar blind region to remotely designate a target. When used in conjunction with a solar blind camera, the targeting can be performed without detection by visible or infrared detection devices.
2. Background Information
Presently, the threat of biological or chemical agents to troops, civilians, and ecosystem is growing. Research to develop novel methods of measuring threats posed by such agents is aimed at early warning, remediation, and monitoring. Biological organisms can indicate and functionally respond to the presence of known and unknown threats in several ways which can be useful for defense purposes. In the present invention, it was desired that these biological organisms have the ability to collect information in the environment about the acute presence of chemical or biological agents to determine their biological activity and predict the toxicity of various chemical and biological threats to our combat forces and civilian communities. Intelligence data in the form of audio and video information may be collected as well.
Biological organisms have adapted unique sensing and locomotion schemes in order to distribute into environments in search of food, reproduction, and predator avoidance. Unfortunately, the ability to discriminate specific signals in a complex background in a wide variety of environments and to use these signals to effect distribution into those environments currently exceeds any defense capability. The ability to passively monitor, influence, or control the distribution of individual or populations of biological organisms can result in the ability to rapidly collect environmental information.
In order to accomplish this objective, there must be an understanding and utilization of the sensory signals and sensorimotor behavior employed by biological systems and exploitation of the neural biomechanical control circuitry used for the activities mentioned above, such as foraging, mate identification, and predator avoidance. Understanding and using signal discrimination methods and sensory fusion in a complex environment and understanding how biological organisms navigate in the environment are also critical. For higher level organisms, the integration of neurobiology and behavior in training programs could result in the ability to train a biological organism to seek out signals of interest.
Various insects and small animals are being adapted for use in military situations. For instance, Manduca sexta moths are being used to target a sex pheromone. In ongoing experiments the male moths are attracted to the female pheromone, which is typically distributed with a small fan blowing over a dispenser impregnated with the pheromone. Difficulties exist in using pheromones since wind and air drafts moving the pheromone plume or diluting the pheromone so much can render the pheromone useless. The present invention overcomes these limitations and can be used with the pheromones or independently to improve the moths effectiveness in military applications.
It is well known that many insects are attracted to ultraviolet (UV) light. Because of this the present invention utilizes an ultraviolet laser as a target designator to induce the moths to go to a remote target. Existing methods to get the target in place are impossible. Once the remote target is designated with the ultraviolet laser, the moths head toward the laser spot. Therefore, the moths can be induced to go to a remote target of choice, collect intelligence data, such as aerosol samples or video data, and return to the point of origin or go to a third location where the data is processed. The sighting device can vary based on the situation. In addition, the ultraviolet target designator of the present invention can be used in the solar blind range in the conventional manner, but more covertly than existing infrared devices. The ultraviolet laser operates in the solar blind region to remotely designate a target. When used in conjunction with a solar blind camera the targeting can be performed without detection by infrared or visible detection devices.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ultraviolet target designator.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel ultraviolet target designator that induces insects to collect information in the environment about the acute presence of chemical or biological agents.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel ultraviolet target designator that allows mapping chemical or biological agent concentration and distribution in potentially contaminated air, land, and water.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel ultraviolet target designator that allows information gathering in hostile and/or inaccessible environments.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel ultraviolet target designator operating in the solar blind region that can be used in conjunction with a solar blind camera system to allow the designator to function in the solar blind region which is invisible to existing infrared equipment.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel ultraviolet target designator that utilizes a 266 nm quadrupled Neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser and a solar blind camera.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for designating targets for insects utilizing ultraviolet lasers.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for designating targets for insects using ultraviolet laser wavelengths in the range of 300-400 nm.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for designating remote targets to prevent detection by infrared detection eqiupment.
In satisfaction of these and related objectives, Applicant""s present invention provides for an ultraviolet target designator and methodology that utilizes ultraviolet radiation from a laser designator to remotely designate targets for various applications. In one embodiment, the ultraviolet laser designator is used to remotely designate a target for insects to fly to so as to collect environmental information. In another embodiment, the ultraviolet laser operates in the solar blind region to remotely designate a target. When used in conjunction with a solar blind camera, the targeting can be performed without detection by infrared or visible detection devices.